I set up the Sexual Offences, Crime and Misconduct Research Unit in 2007 to build upon the collaborative relationship between ongoing research within the Psychology Division at NTU and HMP Whatton (the largest sex offender prison in Europe, holding approximately 830 convicted male sex offenders). The unit's primary aim is to conduct and facilitate applied forensic research in the area of sex offending and sexual crime, with the research unit sitting at the juxtaposition between the world of prison and that of academia. Current research programmes include mixed method evaluations of anti-libidinal medication, pre treatment initiatives, prison and community based Circles of Support and Accountability. Also conducting research exploring religiosity and sexual offenders, peer support programmes, the collecting of sexually explicit materials, personality disorders in sex offenders, challenges for/with transgender prisoners, offenders who target elderly victims, as well as work with non-offending paedophiles and ex-prisoners who are seeking treatment and support to stay offence-free. The Safer Living Foundation I am co-founder and trustee of the Safer Living Foundation, a charity set up in 2014 to conduct (and evaluate) initiatives that help to prevent further victims of sexual crime. We are now running prison and community based CoSA and have also started Young People's CoSA. Additionally we are seeking funding to run a regional prevention project in which free treatment and support is offered to individuals concerned they may offend. Please contact me if you are interested. Further projects include researching child sexual exploitation, and helping institutionalised offenders in the transition from prison to community. Additionally the charity has the goal of setting up accommodation for sex offenders released from custody who would benefit from a 'three quarters' way house.
Barbara is a Lecturer in the School of Health Sciences at the University of Stirling. Her research interests relate to the psychological aspects of health. She worked for 15 years as a Registered Nurse, including as a British Heart Foundation specialist cardiac nurse.
Ben Heard is a doctoral student at the University of Adelaide, examining pathways for the decarbonisation of Australian electricity with the inclusion of nuclear energy. As director of (currently in hiatus) ThinkClimate Consulting he delivered modelling of carbon neutral pathways for South Australia's largest local government and recently advised the South Australian Freight Council in a detailed report called Green Freight. Ben’s appreciation of the climate crisis forced a rethink of his long-held opposition to nuclear power. In early 2011 he delivered his seminal presentation Nuclear Power: From Opponent to Proponent to a strong response. Ben has since become one of Australia’s most prominent nuclear advocates, presenting his work to audiences large and small around Australia including the 2011 Local Government Association State Conference, the 2012 Frontiers in Science conference and a landmark televised nuclear debate victory in 2012. Ben has written on nuclear power extensively in print and on-line media, including a recent popular article for ABC Environment, Renewable vs nuclear is the wrong battle. His advocacy website, Decarbonise SA, has become a popular resource, attracting over 100,000 hits. In 2012 he launched his independently funded research Zero Carbon Options, with a first-of-a-kind direct comparison of nuclear and renewable options for the replacement of coal-fired electricity in Australia. In July 2013 he was a presenter and panellist for the ATSE conference "Nuclear power for Australia?" Ben lives in Adelaide with wife Gemma Munro and their two children.
Brian Gendreau is a Richardson Fellow, Clinical Professor of Finance, and Director of the Latin American Business Environment program at the University of Florida. Previously Brian was a market strategist at ING, Heckman Global Advisors, and Salomon Smith Barney, and head of emerging market economics at JP Morgan. Before that he was an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Brian has a PhD in from the Wharton School and a MA in international relations from Johns Hopkins SAIS. He has appeared frequently on CNBC, Fox Business television, and Bloomberg television.
As Senior Lecturer in Digital Marketing, I have a particular interest in digital culture, and how this affects the third sector, especially faith organisations, voluntary organisations, and government behavioural campaigns. I moved to this position after five years involved with the CODEC Centre for Digital Theology, St John’s College, Durham University. At CODEC, I researched discipleship in a digital age, drawing upon over 130 voices from ‘the pew, the pulpit and the academy’ on the website http://bigbible.org.uk. My work included highlighting to the church the importance of engaging with digital technologies. Previous roles in academia include ‘Senior Fellow in Technology Enhanced Learning’ alongside temporary lectureships, web editorial work, and research projects (including into web accessibility and usability) at the University of Winchester and Interdisciplinary Research Officer at the University of Manchester. I have been Director of social media consultancy Digital Fingerprint since 2001, whose clients have included third sector organisations such as Girlguiding, The National Archives and NCVO (via another agency), Christian organisations including The Church of England, The Methodist Church, and United Reformed Church, publishers including Lion Hudson and CPO, universities including ‘Organisational Development in Higher Education Group’ and The University of Limerick, and a range of small businesses, including anti-diet cause ‘Beyond Chocolate’, and involvement in the social media startup Super Fun Days Out. I am regularly asked to write for a range of publications for a wide range of audiences, and often provide expert comment to the media. The Financial Times described my 2014 book Raising Children in a Digital Age as ‘sensible’ in a sea of scare texts around the topic of children and the internet. I have been on flagship shows such as The One Show (BBC One), Steve Wright in the Afternoon (BBC Radio 2) and BBC News, whilst local and specialist media frequently asks for comment or opinion pieces on aspects related to digital culture.
Ben Handel is an economist at the Unversity of Claifornia at Berkeley whose research focuses on health care markets. His research has studied consumer decision-making and market design of health insurance markets, and illustrates the interplay between consumer decision-making and market regulation. Ben has also researched provider financial incentives and take up of preventive care in health care markets. Ben received his Ph.D. in economics from Northwestern in 2010 and an A.B. in Economics from Princeton in 2004. In addition to his teaching at Berkeley, he has advised numerous businesses and policymakers on a range of issues related to health economics.
